Mosiah 19

Summary: Gideon seeks to slay King Noah—The Lamanites invade the land—King Noah suffers death by fire—Limhi rules as a tributary monarch. Between 145 and 122 B.C.

Note: Chapters 19–22 of Mosiah are taken from the record of the Zeniff colony. These chapters contain a detailed account of the events that led to the state of bondage in which Ammon found Limhi’s people and also to their eventual deliverance. Note what finally leads to their deliverance. Contrast this event with the end of King Noah and his priests in fulfillment of Abinadi’s prophecies.

Has anyone ever seen the Living Scripture Animated series? I can't help but picture the movie in my head while reading this chapter. :)

SO...The king's army is not able to find Alma and his people. Whew. They return and when they do, the people are starting to be divided. There are murmurings and threatenings against the king. Yeah, he's not such a great king, is he!

Gideon, who was strong, and angry at the king, decided he would take matters into his own hands and slay the king with his sword. He fought with the king. I wonder where the kings servants were... or security guards. Maybe no one cared at this point? Interesting.

Gideon chased him up to the tower, where the king saw that the Lamanites were coming. He pretended to be concerned for his people. Gideon spared his life.

King Noah then ran and told his people to flee into the wilderness. The Lamanites came upon them, so he told the men to leave behind their women and their children. Now, doesn't that make you a little mad? Sheesh. The nerve. At least some men did not listen to him, and they stayed with their wives and children. They'd rather perish with them. But the Lamanites did not destroy them, since they thought their daughters were beautiful.

Instead they took them captive and taxed them 50%. Makes me not want to complain so much about my taxes. :) But that was not all. They also wanted them to deliver King Noah unto them. I'm sure they were probably very willing to do that part.

And isn't it interesting that one of the men that stayed behind, was King Noah's son, Limhi. And even thought his father was wicked, Limhi was a just man. He understood his father's iniquities, but he did not want to see him destroyed.

Meanwhile, they send some more men into the wilderness to find those that escaped. They find everyone except the priest and the King. They find out that the men were so angry with the king when he told them that they could not go back and check on their wives and children, so the burned him to death. Just as was prophesied by Abinidi. The priests fled the scene. The men rejoiced when the found out that their wives and children were still alive.

They all returned to the city where Limhi became their king while in captivity to the Lamanites. The Lamanites made an oath that they would not slay them, and the people had peace for two years.

After the rest of them had fled, the really became angry with King Noah.